What happened with Harry and Ginny
by valves.stringsn88keys
Summary: A collection of one-shots, about a few moments in the lives of Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley after the war.
1. The ring

November, 1998. Auror training camp.

"Come off it mate, what's up with you? You've been off all day," Ron said as he approached Harry's camp cot.

"Ron, I think…well…I've done something quite daft, I think. I know," said Harry.

Ron raised his brow and chuckled. "That's all, is it? I'm sure it's nothing dafter than anything I've ever done. Come on, tell it, then. Unless it's Ginny, then we might have some issues...but you know that."

Harry didn't chuckle back, still looking antsy. "I'm serious Ron! It's bad! You might hit me, actually. And, it's not Ginny yet, kind of…but, well, so today after Ginny had to leave Hogsmeade I went back to Diagon Alley and decided to walk around a bit, before I came back here. And I walked in to Jordan's –you know, Lee's dad's place, the jeweler's –and though maybe I'd look around for a Christmas present for Gin, maybe a bracelet or something. But then...Godric, you really are going to hit me, but there was this ring…" –Ron blanched at this –"and I don't know why I did it, but it was just perfect, and sitting there staring back at me, and…I bought it." After a few moments of silence, Harry looked at Ron, uncertain at his best friend's lack of response.

"Ron! Say something! You know I love your sister and that I want to marry her, so please don't be mad. And I know it's stupid that I bought a ring right now, so you don't have to tell me that either...but just say something!" Ron was still speechless. "Like I said, it was perfect," Harry continued, "and I thought to myself that whenever I proposed I wanted it to be with that ring right there...so I got it." Ron raised one eyebrow and moved his mouth, but still no answer came. Harry tried to explain himself some more, stating, "I swear I hadn't planned on even looking for a ring so soon. I mean, we've talked about it, our future, but always as a future type of thing! I know she's just now of age, and we just ended a great ruddy war! Ron…I don't know what to do with it now!"

"You. Bloody. Idiot." Ron finally spoke. "You propose to my sister, that's what you do with it! You don't have to do it right away, but you better bloody do it! Though I expect to see that ring sometime, if it's so bloody great you had to buy it right now! Wait," Ron paused as Harry reached into his pocket, "you have it _right _right now?"

"...yeah. It was getting late, and you know how the Gringotts goblins have been around me, still, so I didn't want the hassle of getting in to my vault. Plus, I sort of wanted it near me, and I obviously wasn't thinking straight anyways, so here. Look!" Harry cried out, as he pulled out a little blue velvet box and opened it.

Ron looked in and his eyes grew wide. A round diamond set in a circle of smaller diamonds, with green peridot leaves carved around both sides, sat in a simple gold band, gazing back up at him. Harry interjected, "She told me one time that she loves her birthstone, because it looks good on her skin and hair. At the time I had joked about whether she liked peridot green better than my eye-color green, and for some reason that's the moment and the comment that I thought of when I saw this ring. It's simple but unique, and reminds me of her somehow. It gives me the same feeling I get when I see her, I guess. Maybe it doesn't make sense to you but I swear it's just perfect, Ron…" he trailed off.

"No, I see it," Ron replied. And he could, envision that ring sitting perfectly on his bold, clever, confident not-so-baby sister. "You better bloody ask her," he said, turning to look Harry dead in the eye, "it's perfect for her, and the two of you are too sodding perfect together anyways."


	2. The proposal

December 1998. The Burrow.

It was December, and everyone was at the Burrow for the winter holidays. It was four days before Christmas; Ron and Harry had the whole month off for their Auror camp, while Hermione and Ginny had been home for a week from Hogwarts.

Harry and Ginny had spent the whole day in London finishing Christmas shopping, and while it was a successful day, Harry couldn't keep out of the back of his mind that the last time he had been in London, he had made a bit of a rash purchase….he had the little blue velvet box on the brain, and was just hoping that Ginny wouldn't notice his distraction. As soon as he could, when they got back to the Burrow, Harry skipped up to Ron's room to check among his things for the ring, which he had yet to find a chance to take to Gringotts. Reassured, he put the box in his pocket, feeling much better that it was with him personally. He went downstairs for dinner.

After dinner, Ginny suggested that they go for a fly before dessert; she had noticed Harry's distractedness and hoped that a fly would clear his mind, or at least get him to open up to her about what was going on. Harry agreed, and they soared over the Burrow orchard, but Ginny knew something was off –they took Harry's broom but he let her fly it without protest, and was mostly quiet as he held on behind her. She landed, put the broom in the shed, walked into the Burrow kitchen, and sighed as she cut Harry and herself each a slice of treacle tart. Mrs. Weasley was knitting in the next room and Mr. Weasley was reading the _Prophet_, but Ron and Hermione came in and sat across Harry and Ginny.

"Harry," Ginny said after a few bites, "I know something's wrong. I can tell that your mind has been elsewhere all day, and quite frankly I'm frustrated that you're keeping to yourself. We've discussed many times that you have to be honest with me! When I mentioned to Ron and Hermione when we got home that you had been distracted, they said they didn't know why but I can tell even they have an idea." She looked up and across the table accusingly. "We agreed no secrets, Harry! Is something up at camp that you're not telling me about? Did something happen while we were in London that I didn't see or…" She trailed off, as she saw Harry pale next to her. He looked almost afraid, and she thought the dazed look in his eyes was almost like it was before he kissed her the first time in the common room after the Gryffindor Quidditch match.

"Harry?"

Harry gulped, his hand instinctively over his pocket. "Gin," he began, "I can't…I just…I don't know how to explain today…today was great! It was a perfect day with you! I'm sorry you think I'm upset, I'm not. You know I love you and you know I wouldn't keep a secret!" He stood up suddenly, his green eyes flashing around the room. If Ginny had followed them with her own eyes and seen her parents standing in the kitchen doorway looking in curiously, Ron's eyes wide and his mouth slightly agape, and Hermione's eyes twinkle as she tried to cover a hopeful smile with her hand. Harry spoke again, "Gin, I love you and I will always be honest with you. I promise. You're right, of course, that I've had something to myself, but I'd told myself I needed to wait to tell you about, because that would be the right thing to do and more responsible and more considerate, even though yeah Ron and Hermione and your parents already know, and I had made a plan and everything but now I've gone and mucked it up, and more because I'm rambling now, but…Ginny? I love you so very much." He looked at her, her eyes concerned, and took her hands briefly before relinquishing them in favor of reaching into his pocket. He got down on one knee and Ginny gasped before she could even process what he had pulled out of his pocket or knew what he was saying. Harry opened the ring box and looked up at Ginny.

"Will you marry me?"

"Yes! Yes, yes, of course yes!" Ginny shrieked, hurriedly reaching down to embrace Harry. She wiped her eyes, briefly thinking in surprise that she hadn't realized she'd started crying, then threw her arms around Harry again and kissed him. She could briefly hear Ron drop his fork on the ground in surprise while her father slowly clapped, and her mother's and Hermione's gasping, giggling, and applauding in the background, but none of it mattered to her. Harry pulled back from the kiss, took the ring from the box, and slipped it on to her left ring finger. Neither of them could wipe the smiles from their faces.

"I love you too!" Ginny practically yelled. Harry didn't have to say anything in response –she saw in his eyes the happiest, most peaceful, yet most exuberant look she had ever seen.


	3. The return to Hogwarts

January 1999. Hogwarts Express.

Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood, Lavender Brown, and Parvati and Padma Patil all sat in a compartment towards the back of the train. About half of Hermione's year had returned to sit their NEWTs, and almost all of Ginny's year, but because those two years had been so small originally they were housed and classed together for this rebuilding year, and these 6 girls had become close. Luna was also the only current Hogwarts students who had been told about Ginny's engagement, so as the girls had crowded into the compartment, Ginny made sure to take the window seat and hide her left hand in her robe sleeve against the wall. She knew Harry was already back at Auror camp with Ron, and her father had been charged with the task of running the official news story by the _Prophet _office for publication as soon they left King's Cross after dropping her off. Ginny decided that these girls were her closest female friends at school, and she wanted them to hear it from her rather anyone else when the rest of the school found out, so she braced herself to speak up.

Perfectly in time, Lavender piped up. "Sooooo, how was everyone's break?! Mine was pretty dull, my parents are still a bit stiff about my condition," -Lavender had been bitten by an untransformed Greyback during the final Battle -"but it was nice to be home, still!" Parvati and Padma then chimed in with how they spent some time traveling with their parents to Germany, describing how it helped them to be out of the country and in some fresh air for a change. Luna, who all the girls knew was still cautiously rebuilding her relationship with her father, mentioned that she spent a lot of time at the Burrow, before bluntly annoucing "...and now that it's Ginny's and Hermione's turn to share, I suspect you'll be getting the best story yet, the juicy one you're wanting," as she gazed thoughtfully at the two aforementioned girls.

Hermione and Ginny looked at each other, then at Lavender, Parvati, and Padma. Ginny felt her chest tighten slightly, wanting badly to share her excitement but not sure how to start. Hermione thankfully jumped in saying that seeing both her own family and the Weasleys was relaxing, before looking pointedly at Ginny again and making a very obvious segue with "...though, I was very glad I was at the Burrow a few days before Christmas and got to watch as..."

Ginny laughed, no longer able to contain her smile. She whipped her left hand up and let her ring sparkle. "Harry proposed!" she exclaimed. The other girls, even Hermione and Luna, squealed in excitement. "Wow, that's gorgeous!" "How'd he do it?" "Did you know it was going to happen?" "Who else knows?" "I can't believe it! You're both so young!" "Do you have any idea when you want to get married?" and many other exclamations were made. Ginny laughed and proceeded to tell how Harry planned to propose at some point in the future but then had bought the ring on impulse, and planned to propose months later but then was caught off-guard that night at the Burrow and decided to ask her then and there.

"Now, you ladies are absolutely not allowed to say anything!" Ginny warned. "You're the first people on this train to know, and unless Rita Skeeter is bugged and hiding somewhere in here, no one else will until it's announced in the Prophet tomorrow! Harry and I agreed we'd wait to publicize it until after the both of us returned from break, so my dad's taking the announcement today. Oh goodness, I hope it doesn't make some special edition _Evening Prophet_...even for the Chosen One's engagement that'd be absurd, I think, but we'd never even considered that..."

Later that day. Hogwarts, Great Hall.

Minerva McGonagall, Hogwarts Headmistress, had received some interesting news a week ago, via private letter from Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley. She was therefore expecting a large wave of gossip to soon be overcoming her students, within the first days of the spring term. She was not, however, quite expecting to hear from the castle caretaker, who came running towards her seat at the staff table as students filed in, that hundreds of owls were arriving for subscribers of the _Daily Prophet_, carrying a special edition of the_ Evening Prophet. _She mentally thanked Godric that this was spring and not fall term, so she didn't have a speech to make, and then mentally sent the best comforting, strengthening good vibes as she could in Ginny Weasley's direction. She stood up.

"Welcome students, to the Spring 1999 term here at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I hope you have all had a pleasant holiday. As the new term starts, be aware that the same rules as last term apply, including which wings of the castle are still closed for construction. Your Heads of House will be passing out your course schedules as you eat. And, lastly, prepare yourselves for some incoming mail, as I have just received word that an owl shipment of the _Evening Prophet_ has been issued to our resident Prophet subscribers. However," she added as she heard a faint groan and saw a grimace as she looked towards Ginny, "please do not let this disrupt your reinstallment here at the castle. Now, dinner is served. Thank you."

Food appeared on the tables. Owls appeared in the windows. Gasps rose collectively, and heads turned towards Gryffindor table. Ginny looked at the her friends and saw the same message in each of their faces -"Hurry and eat and we'll be out of this mess!"


	4. The crazy Quidditch dream

Late February 1999. Auror training camp

After a long day of classes and training sessions, Harry returned to his bunk for a quick break before dinner. At the sight of a pale-green envelop sitting on the table, he smiled - Hermione had gifted a stationery set of that exact color to Ginny for her birthday, and Ginny had given Hermione the same in periwinkle blue for hers - dropped his things on the floor, grabbed the letter, and sat on his cot. With a half-groan half-sigh as he lay down, Harry slid his finger under the envelop flap and pulled out Ginny's letter.

-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-

_Dear Harry,_

_For starters, GRYFFINDOR TROUNCED HUFFLEPUFF! I think I'm still riding the adrenaline rush - the party in the common room is still going, though it's mostly quieted down, and I'm exhausted! I wish you could have made it today, Harry, but your training is important. I know it's not as exciting as our win against Slytherin earlier, but I think we did much better as a team! And I felt like a really good captain at the end of this match, like some of the improvements I've been working for are actually showing through. After I finish writing you, I'll write Ron with a good play-by-play (that way Hermione can help me remember more objectively...) so if you're really interested, you can check with him, but I wanted to get the more important news to you first..._

_...GWENOG JONES WAS HERE TODAY! Here, as in, watching me! I saw her in the stands by Slughorn as we flew in, and almost fell off my broom! That would've been a great first impression...but I'm so, so, so glad the game went well! As we were lining up to get started, I kept telling myself that she had to be there for someone else, but deep down I knew this could be my big break. And Slughorn basically told me as much after the match. I had just started walking back to the locker rooms when he pulled me aside to talk to her. She told me I looked like a natural flyer and that she was impressed by my throwing technique! Not too shabby for a girl who taught her self to fly by sneaking out after dark, huh? And she said she'd be in contact with me by mail to find out what my schedule for practices and classes was like, so she could watch me train and talk to me more. Only you and Ron really understand and believe in my crazy pro Quidditch dream...and now I'm actually, for sure, somehow, being recruited by my top choice team. It's so bizarre, Harry. And amazing. The Harpies!_

_I didn't tell the team during the game that I was possibly being scouted - I tried not to act differently once I realized, and if I wasn't successful at that, no one said anything - and that was the right thing to do, right? I don't want them to feel more stressed just because I am. Only Hermione, and now you and Ron, will know. I'm sure word will get out anyways, someone will have noticed Gwenog Jones in the crowd, but I'm going to try not be the one to bring it up in conversation._

_Anyways, that's pretty much all I've got right now. Classes are going well, though honestly I can't remember a single thing I've studied recently because my brain is still clouded by Quidditch (and Hermione just looked over my shoulder and began scolding me...and is now chastising me for writing about her...isn't she the best?). How is training going? Is there anything you think you're doing particularly well at, or feel like you're struggling with? Tell me about it, and I'll write back with my boring normal school stuff! :). Miss you, Harry._

_Love, Ginny_

-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-h-g-

By the time he finished reading, Harry was wearing a huge grin. He turned to Ron, who was sitting with an opened blue-parchment letter on his lap and a green-parchment letter in his hands. Ron looked up at Harry and said with a questioning look, "Hey Harry, I don't get letters from both my girlfriend and my sister on the same day that often...and Hermione's is pretty short compared to normal! She said that Ginny 'has the good letter this time', but Ginny's just tells me to ask you about yours! And then has lots of details about their Hufflepuff match, which I've been reading, but really...what's she told you?"

Harry handed over his letter. Ron read it. Ron looked up, matched Harry's grin, then stood and clapped Harry on the back as he observed, "so now you've really done it, gone and landed yourself a Harpy, huh? I don't think you need any more warning about Ginny, but good luck, mate!" and turned and headed towards the canteen. Harry shook his head, then stood and followed, thinking about just how lucky he was.


	5. The graduation

June 1999. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Harry and Ron rushed to the stands of the Quidditch field, which was transformed into a stage where each summer the Hogwarts commencement ceremony was held the Friday following the end of term. Their class had pleaded with their Auror instructors to let them take some of their final exams early - their own certification presentation for the academy was the following day - and caught the last train to Hogsmeade just in time to make the Hogwarts graduation ceremony. Harry, Ron, and the other trainees hurried into the stands, with a brief hello to some of their coworkers who were stationed for security; Harry knew that Headmistress McGonagall had attempted to be strict on who would be allowed on school grounds for the first post-war graduation, but school commencements had always been open to all magical folk and she had been unable to convince the school Governors to change that policy, so there were Aurors and Magical Law Enforcement officers present today. Harry and Ron quickly climbed the seats, picking up program parchments along the way, then sat down with the rest of the entire Weasley family.

Harry unrolled his program and scanned the names. Lavender Brown, who Harry had visited at St. Mungo's many times the summer prior. Justin Finch-Fletchley who had spent the previous year on the run; Anthony Goldstein, Justin's boyfriend according to Ginny. Hermione Granger, Harry's all-but-sister. She'd written him this year, as well as Ron, discussing how the dynamic between her and her peers had changed, how hard it was to try and be "normal", her surprising relief at not being Head Girl, and the competition between herself and a Ravenclaw Ginny's age to have the top marks of the graduating class, among other things. Harry smiled, seeing that Hermione would officially graduate as class valedictorian; he, Ron, and Ginny had all read drafts of her speech earlier in the week.

And finally Ginny, the last name on the list. As Harry and the Weasleys listened each other student's name called, Harry stole glimpses at his fiancé in her seat, waiting. He laughed when it was finally her turn to walk, first at her bright red face amidst the whooping and hollering of her family, then at the cheeky wink and wave she sent his way, flashing her engagement ring at the reporters he knew must be hiding somewhere in the stands. That was his Ginny, bold and confident, understanding yet firm about the boundaries of their private and public lives, beautiful, who knew just when to curb his ego or boost his morale.

After the ceremony Harry and the Weasleys caught up with Ginny and Hermione, who were standing with Luna and Xenophilius Lovegood, and joined by Neville Longbottom. Congratulations were exchanged, and Mr. Weasley pulled out his old camera to take photos. The commotion of people grouping off for photos ensued - Ginny and the Weasleys; Luna and her father; Ginny, Luna, and Hermione; Ginny and Harry; Ron and Hermione; Ginny and Harry with Ron and Hermione; Ginny and Hermione and Luna and Ron and Harry and Neville; and more. As other families approached the Weasleys to chat, Ron leaned in and whispered, "Let's go for a walk." Hermione nodded and Ginny grabbed Harry's hand on one side and Luna's on the other; Luna grabbed Neville who in turn grabbed Hermione, who was holding hands with Ron, and the six weaved through the crowds to the shady area by Black Lake that they each had grown fond of.

They sat down in the grass and looked out at the lake. "We're all moving on, aren't we? It's so strange to think that I'm a Hogwarts graduate! And in a month I'll be working at the Ministry!" exclaimed Hermione, who then glanced at Ron and Harry before adding, "It feels like so much more than two years have passed since the boys and I snuck in there!" They laughed in agreement. "And here's Ron, Harry, and Neville, about to be qualified field interns in the Auror department," Hermione continued, "and Ginny about to become our very own professional athlete! You will be phenomenal, of course. By this time next year you'll probably be the most famous out of all of us." The redheaded Harpy in question rolled her eyes before retorting, "Yeah right! That's only if Luna here doesn't discover a dozen new plants or animals by next May." Luna beamed then, as Harry asked when and where she was planning to start her world travels, and she stated that thought she might leave for Brazil in the autumn and see where life took her from there.

"Oh!" interjected Hermione, "but Ginny and Harry will start planning their wedding soon! You will come back for that, of course?" Ginny perked up at that thought and turned to Luna, "Of course she'll be back! I'm going to ask her to be a bridesmaid! Will you be a bridesmaid, Luna? On that note, will you be my maid-of-honor, Hermione?" Both girls replied affirmatively, and Ginny smiled enthusiastically. Ron, who had been mostly quiet to this point, rolled his eyes and started to say, "Women and weddings, what else could this conversation end up on?" as he turned towards Harry - only to find that Harry staring off into the distance, his mind completely elsewhere. "Merlin, Harry! If you're going to go googly-eyed at every mention of your wedding, you're going to end up worse than Ginny!" Harry started, then looked properly abashed when all his companions, including his fiancée, laughed at him. Ginny leaned in to Harry and said, "alright, no wedding talk now. Today we'll say goodbye to Hogwarts properly - all of us, even you boys that abandoned us this year! - and tomorrow we'll start, well...tomorrow!"


	6. The beginning of the planning

August 1999. The Burrow.

Green flames lit up the fireplace, and Harry Potter stepped into the Burrow. He and Ron had been out of their first year of Auror camp for six weeks and living in Grimmauld Place when he received Hermione's summons –literally, she sent him an owl earlier that morning with a note that read "You, Harry James Potter, are hereby summoned to dinner at the Burrow tonight to begin the official planning of your wedding to Ginevra Molly Weasley. 6:00 in the evening, casual. Sincerely, Hermione Granger, maid-of-honor." Harry had chuckled at the time and shown the note to Ron, but now he wondered just what he was walking in to, as he stepped into the kitchen to see his fiancée, his best friend, and his mother-in-law-to-be.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, "Perfect! We were starting to bring up wedding ideas! I know you and Ginny had talked about an autumn wedding, with the weather still nice out around September after you finish camps, but we've got a lot to do before then! And yes, yes Ginny I know you said you just want a private ceremony at the Burrow with just the important people, smaller than Bill and Fleur's was, but, well, you and Harry do know quite a few important people to invite…so we'll have to work on the guest list, plus food, plus decorations, plus what everybody is to wear, and of course your dress Ginny…"

Harry and Ginny both stood in the kitchen, glancing between each other and Hermione, who was sitting at the table with piles of catalogues and pamphlets relating to weddings, which she was shuffling back and forth and stacking categorically as she spoke, in a very Hermione-like fashion. "Hermione, calm down," Harry said, "you know I'll go along with whatever Ginny wants and decides is best. I just want whatever it is to go smoothly."

Harry looked at his three favorite women. "I don't prefer any special colors, you know I'm not picky on foods so long as there's enough, and you know I will pay for anything that's needed that you'll let me." He looked pointedly at Ginny and Mrs. Weasley. "I mean it Gin, don't limit anything on budget. I'd buy you Lucius Malfoy' peacocks if you wanted them at our wedding. Hermione's had to plan enough things for me to know that I'm much more useful just giving yesses or noes to ideas you come up with, so you ladies can go for it."

Ginny smirked. "Just what every woman wants to hear." She grinned at Hermione before giving Mrs. Weasley a knowing look and adding, "I've been planning my wedding to you since I was five years old, Potter, so I hope you know how I'll enjoy this. Of course, it's a bit different now, since I actually know you and it's actually happening…" and Ginny began to launch into a series of suggestions and things she was picturing for the event.

After sitting long past dinner and doing his very best to be as patient and contributive as possible, Harry leaned back with a sigh, and tried to process everything he'd heard. "I'm exhausted already…" he mumbled, quietly enough just for Ginny to hear and giggle at. He added, out loud, "So we're a yes on next September, likely the last weekend of the month, here in the Burrow orchard, in open air though we'll workout weather contingency later, and you'll have Hermione and Luna and I'll have Ron and Neville, wedding attire will be muggle or wizard formal but we'll do all our preparations for the wedding itself muggle-style so we don't get stampeded by reporters every time, we're inviting what's left of the Order and the Army plus the Aurors and the Harpies as well as close Weasley relatives and any other friends from Hogwarts, and when it comes to food I'll sit willingly through tastings though at my insistence Mrs. Weasley is making the cake. Yes?"

Ginny nodded. "Good enough, I suppose," she replied with a light laugh, "and we will get all the details in the next year, Hermione and my mother will be sure of that." Those two women laughed as well, and Harry smiled. He pulled Ginny close, kissed her forehead, and then whispered in her ear as he hugged her, "I already can't wait for it to be official."


	7. The first niece-to-be

September, Harvest Moon festival, 1999. The Burrow.

The entire Weasley family was gathered at the Burrow, for the Harvest Moon Festival. Each year, the family members that could would gather at the Burrow the weekend before the autumn equinox and celebrate, often including neighbors, friends, and other extended family members who could come. The only Harvest Moon with all 7 Weasley children present had been when Ginny was barely 6 weeks old –the first autumn after the War was a rather solemn affair, but this year Molly and Arthur were determined to have the family in full force and happy together. Molly had spent the weekend preparing a lovely pair of roasted hens with a variety of fresh vegetables and fruit, with Fleur and Hermione's help, while Ginny and Percy oversaw the cleaning of the house and Charlie and George cleaned out the yard and orchard. Even Bill, a bit ornery due to the upcoming full moon, eased up after throwing himself into helping his family get ready. Harry and Ron could not participate in the weekend festivities, but were using one of their day-passes from training camp to come to the ultimate Harvest Moon dinner.

Ginny was one of the two people at the Burrow who knew that Bill had one other thing, besides the full moon, on his mind. The Tuesday before, Fleur had come to Holyhead for an "urgent _sœur _lunch" and told Ginny an exciting bit of news. Sworn to secrecy by her sister and brother until a family announcement could be made, Ginny returned to her flat that night suspiciously giggly even as she wrote a letter to Harry, but refused to tell her fiancé anything besides "wait for this weekend!". At the time Harry rolled his eyes, accustomed to his fiancée's antics and assuming it was something girly or wedding-related, but now that Harvest Moon supper was wrapping up and nothing Ginny-grinning-giggling-like-mad-related had happened yet, he began to wonder. Then, Bill stood up, grasping Fleur's hand as she stood as well. Harry saw out of the corner of his eye a brilliant smile break out on Ginny's face, and suddenly he had a very good idea of what was going on.

Bill cleared his throat and spoke. "Everyone, as we finish our celebration of this summer, and welcome autumn back into our lives, Fleur and I wanted to celebrate one more thing with you all." He looked at his wife, who nodded briefly before she chimed in, practically bursting, "before 'zis celebration next year, we are expecting our first bébé!". Fleur informed the crowd that while she had only had her first healer visit a week ago, she was positive the baby would be a girl born the first few days of May; veela-blood pregnancies are very predictable in the first several generations, she stated. Mrs. Weasley was already immediately shrieking and jumping to embrace the couple, while the rest of the family cheered and clapped.

Harry joined the applause, toasts, and congratulations with everyone else, but also kept an eye on Ginny. They had discussed the idea of children together several years down the road before, but Harry also knew just how excited Ginny was for her forthcoming niece –as the youngest child and only girl, Ginny had never experienced looking after a baby until Harry had Teddy. She was already a natural at doting on the little guy, and Harry knew she would be thrilled to have a baby girl to shower with auntie-affection as well. He couldn't help but let his mind wander to the now-familiar daydream of himself, his wife-to-be, and a brood of wild-haired freckly youngsters of their own.


	8. The accident

October 1999. St. Mungo's.

The door to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries burst open, and Ginny Weasley rushed over to the receptionist's desk, Hermione Granger right behind her. "We're here to see two auror camp explosion victims! Quickly!" Ginny exclaimed. The witch at the reception desk, used to receiving frantic visitors, didn't even look up. "Their names?" she asked. On any other circumstance, the two girls would have thought twice about the attention that would be drawn by mentioning theirs or their partners' names, but neither Ginny nor Hermione had any idea what was going on –Ginny having received the Susan Bones' patronus in the middle of a Harpies practice session and Hermione at her DMLE office –and both were rather desperate.

Hermione let out an exasperated sigh, leaned over the desk to the receptionist, and whispered sharply, "Ron Weasley and Harry Potter!". The receptionist raised her eyebrows then rolled her eyes, saying "Family members only in the Auror ward," before she even looked up.

Ginny was frustrated with this lady. "Listen up!" she said in a voice learned from her mother and perfected on her brothers over years, "I'm Ginny Weasley, I'm Ron's sister and Harry's fiancée. She's Hermione Granger, and she might as well be Harry's sister and Ron's fiancée. **She **is the brightest witch of a generation, **my** mother killed Bellatrix Lestrange, and **I** am sorely tempted to hex you until you can't tell your nose from your knees. You **will** tell us what beds our boys are in, please and thank you." Finally, the desk witch looked up with narrowed eyes, then back down at her files of patient records, then said, "Beds 10 and 11, Auror Ward, on the very right of Spell Damage on the fourth floor."

Ginny grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her into the lift. "Stupid witch wasn't even fazed! Ugh!" she exclaimed. "I wish I knew what happened, other than an 'accident'." Susan, a Hufflepuff in Hermione's year who was one of the eight other wizards and witches in the same abbreviated Auror camp program as Harry and Ron, had sent Ginny and Hermione a patronus stating that the boys had been in a "training accident and were at Mungo's" knowing that Harry had no listed next-of-kin and Ron only had his parents and brother Bill, so now the two girls were on their way up. "I agree," replied Hermione more levelly as she calmed down, though she did not bother to address the claim Ginny had given to the receptionist regarding her identity and relationships. She, like Ginny, just wanted to make sure her boys were in one piece.

When they finally found Harry and Ron, a healer was standing between their beds, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and a tall dark-skinned man who introduced himself as "Richard, one of the heads of the Auror camp". Richard seemed to already know who the two girls were, as he launched into a steady explanation of what had happened. Apparently, while going through a training simulation exercise, the two boys, Susan, and two other students had needed to blast through a barred entrance. One of the other students had done the task, but used too much force causing some of the magically-constructed wall supporting the entrance to collapse as well. Harry had been hit by some of the debris, and residual spell magic had been found in his system. He was currently fading in and out of dopey consciousness from the potion they had put him on to remove the magic. Ron had broken down at the sight of another loved one being pummeled by debris from a blasted wall –Ginny nearly choked as she built the mental image of what Richard was describing –and was being psychologically monitored for the afternoon. As Richard spoke, Hermione had grasped Harry's sleeping form and squeezed his hand before moving to comfort Ron. Ginny, on the other hand, looked straight into her brother's eyes, knowing her own mirrored his distraught remembrance of Fred, then sat down with her fiancée.

"Harry? Baby? They said you've woken up a few times since they put you on potion. Can you hear me?" Ginny asked.

Harry's eyes fluttered open. "Ginny. Can you hear me? Hear me, pretty Ginny, hear me," he chant-whispered, before puckering his lips, kissing the air in her direction, and exclaiming, "I love pretty Ginny!"

Ginny smiled in spite of herself, catching his kiss, and answered, "Yes, I do hear you. I love you too. How are you?". Harry closed his eyes, and she thought he might have dozed again, but he opened them again and said, as if he hadn't heard her question, "Need a kiss back, Ginny. A kiss from my miss. My miss caught my kiss, I'm in bliss. Sorry Ron, don't get your knickers all in a twist! Is Ron here?" Ginny giggled again as she looked over at Ron and Hermione, verifying to Harry that they were indeed "here". The other couple seemed greatly cheered by Harry's newfound proclivity for rhymes, and even the healer and Richard looked amused. Harry proceeded to apologize to Ginny, Ron, and Hermione, stuttering then simply repeating Hermione's name when he could find nothing to rhyme with it.

"Harry, honey," Ginny said softly, "I'm very glad you woke up to see me, but you should go back to sleep now. I'm sure we'll remind you just what you said while dopey when you're feeling better. Love you." And she kissed his forehead as he closed his eyes and went back to sleep.


	9. The Dress

February 2000. Santa Barbara, California.

Half a year of wedding-planning, combined with a rare off-weekend from training plus a few more days leave that she'd had to fight for from management, had Ginny more than ready for the mini-vacation she was about to embark on. While she and Harry planned long ago to do their wedding preparations outside of wizarding England, she had been extremely surprised to find that her Christmas present from him this year had been a trip, for herself and her friends, to travel to America to shop for dresses as well as relax. She, Hermione, Luna, Fleur, and Elena, the starting seeker for the Harpies, had arrived in Santa Barbara via portkey two days ago and had spent their time thus far at a local beach. Now, they were just awaiting the arrival of Mrs. Weasley, who would be joining them for the day to help find her daughter's wedding dress.

Mrs. Weasley's portkey brought her to cottage the girls were staying in at 9:00 in the morning on the dot, and the ladies immediately apparated to a park near Alma's Bridal Boutique, one of the largest and best in the area, where they had a 9:30 appointment. "I may not be as adjusted to this time zone as you are, girls," chirped Mrs. Weasley, "but one has infinite reserves of energy to shop for her only daughter's wedding dress!"

They stepped into Alma's and were immediately greeted once Hermione verified the appointment with the receptionist. "Hello!" smiled a petite brunette in her mid-thirties. "I'm Tessa! I'll be your consultant today. Who have we here?"

Ginny stepped forwards and shook Tessa's hand as she introduced herself, her bridesmaids, her mother, her sister-in-law, and her teammate. Upon Tessa's guidance, the other ladies were seated and Ginny followed Tessa into a private dressing room. Tessa asked, "So what are we looking for today? Tell me about the wedding, your fiancé, and any details you want in the dress!"

"Well," Ginny stated, thinking over the muggle-friendly description she had discussed with Hermione. "The wedding will be outdoors, in an orchard near my childhood home. My fiancé's grew up with very little family, as his parents were killed when he was young, but they set aside money for him and he's insisting on paying for anything I'll let him. Which includes him trying to get me to set no budget limit on this dress, but Hermione and I did some calculations to American dollars anyways and we're going to say a maximum of around $3000. I myself am not a very bells-and-whistles type of girl, so I'm not looking for much on the ruffles or poof, but our wedding will have a lot of attention on it –I play professional football in England and my fiancé works for the government –so the dress definitely has to have some personality to it," Ginny informed Tessa. "Hermione said I should tell you that I grew up with six older brothers and survived the loss of one of them," she added with a sad laugh, "so I suppose if you can see the beauty in that in a dress, I'll love it."

Tessa looked thoughtfully. "This girl looks barely twenty," she pondered, "yet her story tells so much already. She's definitely a fighter, I can tell. She needs something feminine enough to make her truly feel like a princess, especially if she's in as much a male-dominated world as she seems to be, yet classy and confident. Something bold, but not over the top." And with this, Tessa set out to collect dresses to try on.

She came back with four dresses. "I know you said no to poof, but this one is a ballgown that I thought would fit some of your other wants," Tessa said, "you can try it first, and if you don't like the style, the others I have are a slimmer fit." Ginny stepped into the dress and looked in the mirror as Tessa laced her up. The bodice was strapless, fit and decorated with an all-over beaded appliqué that was truly beautiful, until a beaded beltline defined her hips and the full skirt flowed out wide in simple and soft satin. Ginny walked out to the seating area to show her family and friends. While they all ooh'd and ah'd appropriately, they also agreed when Ginny said the skirt was a bit too big and a bit too plain compared to the bodice. "Next dress, then," said Tessa.

The second dress was ivory satin instead of white, which Ginny liked, and most of its detail was in pleating rather than beads or lace. Elena liked the pleats, but Hermione pointed out that it seemed to "prim" –a loaded word coming from Hermione –and while Mrs. Weasley thought it did indeed look "queenly" she felt it didn't have enough spunk. The third dress was much better, a strapless lining overlaid entirely with uniform crystalled lace that gathered to at the neckline to form a deep v-neck and straps, which made her toned arms and collarbone look excellent. A keyhole opening in the back was unique and flattering as well. It was the crowd favorite to that point, and Ginny agreed that she liked the simple but detailed lace and the daring open back. However, she wanted to try the last dress for good measure, and she ended up being glad that she did.

As soon as she stepped into the fourth dress and looked in the mirror as Tessa buttoned her up, Ginny knew. This dress was ivory-white with an a-line skirt. The bodice had a very light lace patter appliqué on it that faded away into the skirt, which Ginny thought drew attention upwards without leaving her bottom half too plain. The dress had a low scoop neckline and thin straps, which like in the dress before gave strong definition to her athletic upper body. Finally, the neckline and waistline were defined with a border of silver beading, a little detail that added a lot of "wow". Ginny couldn't keep her smile away, and nodded as Tessa looked at her a declared, "you absolutely love this one."

She walked out into the seating, to show off the final dress, with the same huge grin on her face. Mrs. Weasley gasped, and Elena's eyes grew wide, Fleur and Hermione beamed, and Luna said her Luna way of speech, "Ginny is much happier in this one than the others." Ginny nodded. Mrs. Weasley, with tears in her eyes, exclaimed, "Oh Ginny! My sweet Ginevra, who I was so terrified yet so proud to see fighting for love, and now I see in a dress and with a smile that makes up for those sacrifices. I am so happy for you!" Ginny began to tear up as well, when Fleur added, "No one will want to let go of you, cherie. Not your mama and papa, not your bruzzers, not 'Arry. I 'ave not been a Weasley woman my 'ole life like you 'ave, Ginny, but zat dress shows both your strength and your compassion. You will make a very lovely Madame Potter, I am sure of it."

Hermione, who had yet to comment, didn't need to. The tears in her eyes said it all. She knew how Ginny had felt about Harry through their school years, encouraged her to be herself around him, comforted and counseled her as they rebuilt their lives after the war, squeezed her hand as they both unleashed their men on the real world as they returned to school, and finally stood by her as she tried to keep her personal life and her impending marriage out of the papers. She knew Harry and Ginny better than anyone, save Ron, and Ginny couldn't have been more ecstatic when Hermione finally jumped out of her seat and flung her arms around her.

Ginny Weasley, in one dayin an American muggle shop halfway across the world from her home, had found her perfect wedding dress.


End file.
